Cash But Not Freedom, Ward
by NothatRose
Summary: Ward made Coulson pay for getting him to rescue Skye. Then it is payback.


**Hey,**... Again another one of those ffs that I wrote all those months ago but couldn't find the right way to end it. A little unbelievable but its ff, right?

Happy reading.

Thanks to **HALE PACK, Lightnings Pride, TexannaRose, Salkri Kachemench, storygirl58, , Isazu, Oricke and Guest** for reviewing. And thanks to everyone who have read my ffs.

**Disclaimer** : I do not own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

**Summary **: Coulson gets what he deserves when he asked Ward to rescue Skye.

xox

"Where are you going Coulson?"

"There's someone I need to see."

Director Coulson told May before he started Lola and drove off the ramp.

xox

"Are you here to take my grandson away, again?"

Although old, slightly hunched and leaning on his cane for support, Coulson still had to tilt his head up to look into the eyes of George Ward as the elderly man stood by the opened door.

"No Sir." Coulson informed the elderly gentleman.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Coulson. Philip Coulson."

"The man who holds the key to his leash. What do you want with my grandson?"

"I need to talk to him, Sir." Coulson said.

"Why?"

"I need his help. The team needs his help."

"The team. After all of you dumped him in prison to rot. Then only giving him temporary freedom to spent it with me, his dying grandfather?"

xox

"How much?"

"How much, what?"

"How much do you want for getting Skye back for us?"

"You're asking me for a price?"

"Wouldn't think you'd do it for free."

"That's right. Why would a traitor do something out of the kindness of his heart to save an ex-team member? Alright. Here's the deal. $600,000.00. Cash."

"Money. I'd thought you'd want to do it for your freedom."

"Freedom." Ward laughed quietly as he shook his head. "Not a word in my dictionary. Besides. Why would I want to destroy and rip the pleasure of the assumptions that you all have of me? I'm the evil viper in the grass. The low lying snake that's not to be trusted. But you know I can get the job done. Even if I'm the last man on earth you'd ever think of asking for help."

Seeing the indecision his former Boss's face, Ward shrugged as he began to walk towards his truck.

"Take it or leave it Coulson. I've got nothing to lose. I'm to be locked up for the rest of my life as soon as Gramps let out his last breath, anyway."

"Why need the money if you know what's in your future?"

"Let's just say, after playing countless hours of Monopoly on the Bus, I want really want to see what it feels like to buy some properties before going to jail." Ward smirked.

"$600,000.00."

"Yup."

"Promise not to hurt her. In anyway."

"Hurt Skye? I promise that the bound and gag will not leave any mark on her."

xox

"You just walk in thinking that you can just waltz out here with me? How did you get in here? What happened to your friends, the guards? Did they look the other way and let you walk in here because they owe you favours? Is this a new trick Raina made you do to get me to whatever it is that I'm supposed to do? You are working for my father aren't you?"

"I don't dance. So no waltzing out of here. But I'll lead and you sure as hell will follow. Got in through a door like any human. Being the evil person that I'm supposed to be? I'm not fit to have any friends, good or bad. I never give reason for anyone to owe me favours. Raina have no hold over me so I wouldn't give a shit if she had sent me for you. Lastly, if you see Coulson as your father, then yeah, he is the one I'm working for."

"Working for?"

"Just shut up and let me get us out of here."

"Wait! Working?"

"$600,000.00 to get your ass out of here."

"Six..."

"Now that I've got you speechless, I don't need to gag you. Move Rookie."

xox

"$600,000.00? Is that how much I'm worth to you, Ward?" Skye asked as she watched him take the briefcase containing the money from Couslon.

The team saw him opened the case to look at the cash inside. He then nodded to Coulson before revving his bike. Just before he rode away, Ward let his eyes rested on Skye for a few seconds and murmured, "Goodbye Skye."

xox

"Dig."

"Why the hell should he?" Skye spit out her words with venom as she grabbed the spade out of Coulson's hand.

"I thought you want the truth." Ward told her.

"You are crazy!"

"I've been called many things. Why not add crazy to the list?" Ward smirked at her.

Ward had been taken back into custody as soon as the funeral service of his grandfather was over. Six months later, he had escaped. He had a personal mission to finish. And after two days of eluding the authorities, he finally got hold of the people that he had some unfinished business with.

Ward had Couson and his team right where he wanted them. There was debt to be paid for what Couson had done to him.

"Give me the spade Skye." Coulson told the Hacker.

"Are you going to kill us?" Fitz asked.

"You are making us dig our own graves?" Simmons added.

"Is that why you have May and Trip sedated and tied?" Skye finished as she pointed to the two Agents on the ground.

"Just dig." Ward told Coulson as he learned against the side of his truck. "All of you are welcome to help Coulson. I've got a couple more spades in the back of my truck."

Fitz took the tool as he stared at Ward. After Fitz and Coulson dug several feet deep, Coulson's spade hit a metal box.

"You've found it. Good." Ward said.

"What is it?" Fitz asked.

"The truth." Ward replied as his eyes met Skye's. Ward then tossed his former Boss a key.

Upon opening it, Coulson was surprised to find a familiar briefcase. It looked very much like the one he gave Ward several months ago when he asked for the cash money to rescue Skye. Coulson looked up questioningly at Ward.

"Open it." Ward said quietly as he helped both Coulson and Fitz out of the hole.

Skye and FitzSimmons craned their necks to see what was in the briefcase. As Coulson took out an envelope, they saw cash in the case. A whole lot amount of cash.

"That," Ward pointed to the envelope in Coulson's hand, "is the deed to this land and the house behind those trees. "They are under your name. I used some of the money that I asked from you to buy it. The rest are all in there. I didn't take anything."

"Wait a minute!" Skye stepped forward and stabbed her finger in Ward's chest just like that first time they met. "You telling me that you demanded $600,000.00 from Coulson to rescue me, which he took out of his own savings and you used that money to buy a piece of land and a house for him?"

"If you ask, I'm sure he will let you stay too." He tilted his head to look at FitzSimmons, "You guys too."

"What's the catch?" Skye stepped closer to her former SO. "I won't believe that the Robot has finally grown a heart!"

"No catch Skye." Ward said quietly.

"Why?" Coulson asked after looking through the legal documents.

"You gave me a home when I was brought into the team." Ward told him with a sad voice. "I just wanted you to have the same, Sir. At least a stable place to keep your memorabilia."

xox

"So I don't worth $600.000.00 to you?"

"No."

"So what am I worth?"

"Right now? My peace of mind."

"You are telling me to shut up, Turbo?"

"I could just gag you."

"You are still that heartless T-1000 that has a tin can for a heart aren't you? Can't you say anything nice to me for once?"

"What's the point? You still see me as a monster."

"That's because you growl all the time!"

"A lying, evil monster that betrays the team and you. Isn't that the kind of monster that you see me as?"

"Not anymore."

"What changed?"

"You."

"You don't have to start being nice to me, Skye. What I did can never be changed."

"That's right Ward. What you did. But you are not that Garrett controlled robot anymore. You are you now. Your own man." Ward's lips twitched a grin when she added, "Your own robot."

Schooling his features to being serious again, Ward finally turned away from the fence that he was fixing. With sweat glistening off his bare back, Skye could see that working on his late Grampsy's farm, had restore the muscle and strength that he had lost while serving in prison the last six months. Skye had used her hacking skills to alter Ward's prison term. Of course with Coulson as Director, anything is possible. The gaze that he directed at Skye switched from wary to suspicion as he saw her standing beside him looking all innocent and cute.

He knew what was in Skye's mind. He doesn't have to be a genius like FitzSimmons to read his former Rookie.

"Cut the act Skye. You don't have to distract me by being nice to get what you want. I know what's on your mind." Ward told her as he slowly put his shirt back on.

"Seriously?"

"I was your SO remember?" Ward rolled his eye and proceeded to walk away in long strides. Skye quickly followed him.

"That doesn't mean you can read my every thought just by looking at my face." Skye replied stubbornly.

"It is not always what's on your face," Ward told her as he easily climbed over the fence and gestured for her hand. "That will give you away."

"Then what?"

"That sack you've been trying to hide behind you."

"Is it a crime to carry a sack in these parts?" Skye replied innocently as she let Ward helped her over the tall fence.

"It is when you are planning to raid your neighbour's apples."

"I was hoping to ask the neighbour nicely but he is such a grouch." Skye complained.

"He wouldn't be a grouch if he knows that you would truly forgive him for what he had done." Ward said as he reached up and pluck the apples off his trees.

"I already did."

"Will you also forgive him for loving you?" Ward asked quietly as he placed the apples in the sack that Skye was holding.

Closing the sack, Skye took a step towards Ward. Standing two inches in front of the tall man, Skye had to tilt her head up to issue her warning in response to his question.

"I will kick his ass if he ever stops."

**THE END**

Only in my dreams will this ever happen. Share your thoughts?


End file.
